What's the difference between Wes Welker and Owen Daniels? (1 Viewer)

[Hank Mardukas]

Daniels and Welker are both coming back from knee injuries, with Welker's actually being more severe. Both have made full recoveries. Daniels has had 2 months more than Welker to recover. Welker is a borderline top10 WR and Daniels was on pace to be possibly #1 TE last year. Why is Welker being so much more highly regarded in terms of injury recovery? In mocks I've seen Welker go as high as the 2nd round. Why are people acting as if Welker is going to be fine but Daniels is not going to be anywhere close to his pre-injury self? I'm having a hard time with this one.

 

[decoy]

Two possibilities: Daniels is a much bigger guy than Welker, which could have an impact on recovery from serious knee surgery, not to mention Daniels' play in more human traffic than Welker's. Also, Welker is in his contract year and may be a tad more motivated to get back on the field, or to believe he should be back on the field, despite his condition. Remember, a medical team often has to make decisions based on a players own assessment of how he "feels".

 

[Mark Wimer]

Daniels and Welker are both coming back from knee injuries, with Welker's actually being more severe. Both have made full recoveries. Daniels has had 2 months more than Welker to recover. Welker is a borderline top10 WR and Daniels was on pace to be possibly #1 TE last year. Why is Welker being so much more highly regarded in terms of injury recovery? In mocks I've seen Welker go as high as the 2nd round. Why are people acting as if Welker is going to be fine but Daniels is not going to be anywhere close to his pre-injury self? I'm having a hard time with this one.

The team just revealed that Daniels' knee cap on the repaired knee had a crack in it - that was the setback that stopped him from participating from the start of training camp (it was possibly career-threatening). Daniels spent two months with his leg immobilized to treat the condition. So Daniels is far from football shape after having his leg immobilized for two months.

Owens was on schedule for the start of training camp earlier this year, but doctors found a stress fracture in his kneecap, which could have been career threatening. He spent two months with the leg immobilized after declining to have a screw put into it, which likely would have cost him his 2010 season. Daniels still needs to get into playing shape and hopes to lobby for playing time in the team's final preseason game.

So the kneecap setback is the big difference between Daniels and Welker's situations, IMO.

 

[Zoomanji]

Welker has been practicing and playing and Daniels hasn't

 

[Ilov80s]

Daniels and Welker are both coming back from knee injuries, with Welker's actually being more severe. Both have made full recoveries. Daniels has had 2 months more than Welker to recover. Welker is a borderline top10 WR and Daniels was on pace to be possibly #1 TE last year. Why is Welker being so much more highly regarded in terms of injury recovery? In mocks I've seen Welker go as high as the 2nd round. Why are people acting as if Welker is going to be fine but Daniels is not going to be anywhere close to his pre-injury self? I'm having a hard time with this one.

The team just revealed that Daniels' knee cap on the repaired knee had a crack in it - that was the setback that stopped him from participating from the start of training camp (it was possibly career-threatening). Daniels spent two months with his leg immobilized to treat the condition. So Daniels is far from football shape after having his leg immobilized for two months.

Owens was on schedule for the start of training camp earlier this year, but doctors found a stress fracture in his kneecap, which could have been career threatening. He spent two months with the leg immobilized after declining to have a screw put into it, which likely would have cost him his 2010 season. Daniels still needs to get into playing shape and hopes to lobby for playing time in the team's final preseason game.

So the kneecap setback is the big difference between Daniels and Welker's situations, IMO.

Right, the difference is one is showing he is healthy and in fine form, the other is struggling to see the field.

 

[Hank Mardukas]

The team just revealed that Daniels' knee cap on the repaired knee had a crack in it - that was the setback that stopped him from participating from the start of training camp (it was possibly career-threatening). Daniels spent two months with his leg immobilized to treat the condition.

So Daniels is far from football shape after having his leg immobilized for two months.

So the kneecap setback is the big difference between Daniels and Welker's situations, IMO.

Maybe, but he's saying he's 100% now and is on track to start game 1. I also seriously doubt fans are savvy enough to make that fine a distinction between the injuries. Most people just hear "knee injury".

 

[Babu Bhatt2]

One is much larger, is named Owen, and plays in Texas. The other is much smaller, is named Wes, and plays in Massachusetts.

 

[jsharlan]

Daniels has torn his ACL(s) 3 times now. Personally I think he will come back with no problems, but history shows its likely he will get hurt again eventually. He is in a contract year as well as a RFA, so he should be equally motivated.

 

[Beerguzzler]

ACL tears are tricky as well. A larger individual will generally apply more knee strain causing increased pressure on that knee's stability. The degree of tear on his mcl as well plays a part on his recovery as well as the amount of cartilage damage. The knee crack though is what significantly put him back in his recovery b/c the knee needs to be casted in order to heal which put back his knee rehab 2 months.

The big difference though is that Welker relies on his quickness/speed to be successful. Daniels not so much. So while Owns maybe a bit further back in terms of rehabing the knee, Welker stands to lose the most from this injury since most individuals don't regain their original quickness.

 

[big0mar]

Who knows exactly. People's bodies recover at different rates.

I can say this though, Wes Welker is probably one of the hardest working guys in the history of football. I'm not saying Daniels isn't, but Welker is a rare breed.

If anyone listened to the Audible Podcast, the latest goal of Welker is to have his knee brace off by week 1.

 

[Zoomanji]

One is much larger, is named Owen, and plays in Texas. The other is much smaller, is named Wes, and plays in Massachusetts.

Hmm, I never though of it like that. I bet one wears a cowboy hat and the other a bow-tie...

 

[Ilov80s]

The team just revealed that Daniels' knee cap on the repaired knee had a crack in it - that was the setback that stopped him from participating from the start of training camp (it was possibly career-threatening). Daniels spent two months with his leg immobilized to treat the condition.

So Daniels is far from football shape after having his leg immobilized for two months.

So the kneecap setback is the big difference between Daniels and Welker's situations, IMO.

Maybe, but he's saying he's 100% now and is on track to start game 1. I also seriously doubt fans are savvy enough to make that fine a distinction between the injuries. Most people just hear "knee injury".

People are smart enough to watch the games or look at the box scores and see Welker is making plays and Daniels isn't even on the field.